Longevity of brass vs plastic in household P-traps ??

[packardv8]

All I know about plumbing, I learned helping my father, a forty-year United Steelworkers pipefitter at US Steel. He worked a lot of overtime, but in his few off hours, he donated his labor as a church tithe, helping to build new churches and helping members home plumbing problems.

He always insisted on using the tried-and-true and the best quality. I inherited a complete set of tools for working galvanized, copper and I still have the equipment and knowhow to lead a cast iron waste pipe joint.

As to materials, he always said, "Let's wait twenty years and see how the plastic stuff holds up." We all know there were some materials and procedures which became standard and some which are no longer used.

Now to my question. Remembering his admonition to use the best materials, I always paid a premium for chromed brass for my drain lines and traps. "None of that plastic junk in my house." Now, twenty to forty years down the road, the brass P-traps for which I paid a premium are corroding through and the plastic in our daughter's house hasn't had any problems.

What are you all installing in your own houses today and why?

jack vines, jr; who every day thanks his dear departed dad for so many valuable life lessons.

 

[House Doc]

I am in the same mindset pertaining to PEX piping... open minded, but have a wait and hope attitude.
Over the 40+years of this business I've replaced MANY chrome/brass drains with the tubular plastic drains. I have yet to see one that was installed correctly fail. Problems have come from over tightening, using plumber's putty on threads, or some other mechanical mistake. Most work well with just good hand tight nuts. I'm a fan!

 

[Jeff Handy]

I only install pretty chrome tubular drains and traps where they show, like under a pedestal sink, for example.

And you can get heavier gauge like 17, I think Home Depot type stuff is like 22 gauge, very thin.

You can also get chrome semi-cast, which is super thick, should last 50 years.

 

[cdestuck]

Ya think they’re always telling us just how many decades our thin store plastic bags last. Well that tells us these plastic drain pipes will last a couple lifetimes. It seems to not be affected by much. Looks cheap, yes. But appears to last well.

 

[Jeff Handy]

There are several grades of pvc stuff also.
Some of them are stiffer and stronger.

But even the good pvc can get busted up by people stupidly shoving junk around under their sink or vanity.
Shoving a garbage can in and out, or a basket full of overstuffed cleaning supplies being jammed in under the P trap, will crack the pvc or the slip nuts.

Chrome stuff will handle that with ease, for at least a good ten years.

So they each have their place.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

Isn't it both about cost AND appearance? In a hidden drain system (such as one inside a vanity cabinet) there's probably no reason to go to the expense of chrome plated brass, except for the issues Jeff notes above about undersink items dislodging the fittings. Nobody will see that gorgeous plating. But, in an exposed setting--heck, if you can find a quality brass unit with good plating, why not--as long as it doesn't bust the budget.

Another thing to consider is the crap that goes INTO the trap. All soaps are hi-pH and corrosive, and over time this will eat brass as sure as acid eats zinc. I once owned a car wash and I cannot tell you how many brass fittings I had to remove and replace because soap and detergents ate through them. I never put a brass fitting back, and generally replaced everything with stainless steel. Smaller lines--like 1/4" tubing--used plastic fittings.

 

[Riickk]

Having just had to deal with a chromed brass trap that literally disintegrated, flooding the sinkbase cabinet, I want plastic.
Today, if the pipes are exposed, and you need Pretty, you can easily buy "chrome plated plastic" traps and associated 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" drain pipes.